Review: Contemporary fine-dining Restaurant Born by chef Zor Tan opens in Tanjong Pagar

Located in the heritage Jinrikisha Station building at the intersection of Tanjong Pagar Road and Neil Road, Restaurant Born is one of the most anticipated fine dining restaurants to open in Singapore this year.

A partnership between Chef Zor Tan and local hospitality group 1855 F&B, Born is guided by the Circle of Life, a philosophy that celebrates what was, what is to come, and being present in the moment.

The conservation building, previously a depot for rickshaws, might have gone up in 1903, but global hospitality design agency Grey Matters has done one heck of a job transforming the interiors.

Encircled by a two-tiered colonnade, the main dining hall is nothing short of spectacular with its irregular layout affected by the double-height glass ceiling and an anchor in the suspended Peter Gentenaar paper sculpture. 

Emphasising warmth and delicacy, the restaurant’s colour palette of black, neutrals, sand, and grey accents are emboldened by punches of green, red and yellow.

We love the fluid spatial flow with defined zones; in addition to 15 seats in the main dining hall, the space boasts 12 seats around the show kitchen and two private dining rooms with four and eight seats respectively.

The kind of cooking that Malaysian-born Chef Zor does marries the subtle elegance of French gastronomy with a deep knowledge of Chinese ingredients and flavours – not unexpected of a protege of André Chiang who has helmed Restaurant Raw in Taipei and Sichuan Moon in Macau.

And in Singapore, it doesn’t get more contemporary than this.

Truly executing bold yet familiar flavours, his nine-course seasonal menu ($368++) takes you on an intimate journey of his personal and professional lives.

Bear in mind that this is a dinner with a recommended dining time of three to four hours – longer if you opt for the wine pairing $198++) or no-ABV pairing ($138++).

In fact, it took us almost the whole first hour to enjoy the eight highly varied amuse-bouches, that set high expectations of what’s to come after.

Highlights here are definitely the appetite-whetting pickles created with a Sichuan pickling technique known as diao shui pao cai (to lightly dip in liquid) – Winter Melon with purple shiso jus, Japanese Daikon Skin pickled in a house blend of hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and chilli oil, and fresh salt-cured Jellyfish soaked overnight in wild mountain chilli pickling juice.

The Chicken Skin Mille Feuille, sandwiching roasted eggplant, Beluga hybrid caviar and pickled shallots, also made an impression along with the tender braised Abalone dressed in burnt Green Horn chilli pesto and fried garlic crisps.

The Taro Puff filled with salted egg custard, on the other hand, made us wish it was on the menu of our favourite dim sum restaurant.

Our first course is a major throwback to Chef Zor’s life – his first kitchen job working at a local sushi chain. Employing kobujime (a fish preservation method with layers of konbu), Japanese yellowtail sits in sesame dressing, with pickled mustard seeds and green apple cubes.

Topped with pickled daikon, the varying textures were great but overall it was a little too sweet for us – perhaps more oomph from the fermented ginger juice and galangal snow would do the trick.

From one kitchen to another, Spain & home was inspired by his time in Madrid’s Restaurant Diverxo and oyster cake, a childhood snack.

Light, fluffy, and crispy – the bao was a perfect vessel for aged Japanese wagyu tartare marinated with Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil and seared Irish oyster emulsion.

Remember when Jerusalem artichokes were all the rage? Well, it’s Chef Zor’s favourite root vegetable, and he managed to make it ours too.

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Paired with fresh, crunchy lily bulbs from China and caviar, the light yet flavourful puree is finished table side with shavings of white chocolate.

Next up, a tribute to his legend of a mentor. Recreating Chef Andre Chiang’s foie gras parfait with chicken liver, the humble ingredient is soaked in milk then blended with egg, butter, and cream to achieve a velvety smoothness. Jazzed up with roasted chicken jus, sautéed morel mushrooms and diced celeriac add layers of contrasting earthiness to the indulgent flan.

Chef Zor’s experience working with Sichuan chefs in Macau resulted in one of our favourites of the night, his take on a popular dish in Hu’nan cuisine sees binchotan-finished monkfish served with Yunnan jade fungus and an incredibly moreish fermented Hainan Imperial Chilli.

It’s deliciously spicy and savoury, with the emulsion of chicken fat, stock and green Sichuan pepper oil, plus slices of Green Horn Chilli.

A love letter to Grace, we have his wife to thank for the belly-warming dish that we’re sure most Chinese people will love, especially that broth of smoked eel bones and chicken stock.

Highlighting fresh barramundi fish maw (a common ingredient in confinement food) with the application of the classic French chou farci cooking technique, there are many layers to unpack with the fish maw between cabbage trimmings and smoked eel, and a seared cabbage leaf wrapper.

With life gets better, we try our first savoury tang yuan (glutinous rice ball), filled with crab miso to boot. Not forgetting the chunky Alaskan King crab leg meat chargrilled to perfection then brushed with fermented yellow soy bean paste, and the delectable sauce connected with crab roe, crab bisque and butter.

Our last savoury course embodies the circle of life philosophy to a tee. Dry aged pigeon is confit bone-in and binchotan-grilled; the breast is then served alongside the leg topped with garlic bread crumbs.

Paired with a pretty barley risotto overlaid with pearl corn and cosmos petals, you’ll want to mop up every bit of the pigeon jus, positively adulterated with fermented black bean and fresh green Sichuan peppercorns.

When double-boiled bird’s nest – flavoured with osmanthus and chrysanthemum – serves as a pre-dessert, you know that dessert is gonna be to be winner.

An interpretation of the Mont Blanc, my daily staple incorporates a quintessential Chinese ingredient with a toasted rice espuma that sits atop French chestnut puree, together with caramel, Chinese candied chestnuts and black garlic.

The richness of milk ice cream and textures of puffed rice and sable tuile complete a gorgeous sweet treat that wraps up the night nicely.

Restaurant Born is located at #01-01, 1 Neil Rd, Singapore 088804, p. +65 6223 3292. Open Tue-Sat 6pm-11pm. Closed Mon & Sun.

This article was first published in City Nomads.